Hand grenade and like percussive bomb.



'1 0. HAMILTON- HAND GRENADE AND LIKE PERQUSSIVE BOMB. APPLICATION FILED DEC-23,1916.

1.,Q36,Q95 u Patentedkug. 7, 1917.

JOHN DUDLEY HAMILTON, F ENFIELD, ENGLAND.

HAND-GRENADE AND LIKE PERCUSSIVE BOMB.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. '2, 1917.

Application filed December 23, 1916. Serial No. 138,687.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I. JOHN DUDLEY HAM- ILTON, a subject of His Majesty the King of England, and resident. of Enfield, in the county of Middlesex, Kingdom of England, have invented certain. new and useful Improvements in and. Relating to Hand-Grenades and like Percussive Bombs, of which the following is a specification.

This invent-ion relates to hand grenades and like percussive bombs and has for its object the production of such a device which will be absolutely'safe in store, transitor handling, and which when in use will be caused to explode immediately by impact on any part'of its outer surface without the necessity for a setting fuse or other timing device.

In addition to the attainment of theseessential objects, viz., safety in handling and certainty of operation, other objects and advantages, are obtained, such as simplicity grenade proper which receives the firing charge and detonator and an outer shell or casing which incloses and is adapted to be spaced from the inner shell. The operative movementof the firing pin or pins on im-' pact is determined by the disturbance of this spaced arrangement or relationship of the two shell members. Such disturbance will be effected by impact on any part of the grenade and it is an important feature of this invention to provide simple and positive mechanical means for insuring that the proper spaced relationship of the inner and outer shell members shall be maintained until the grenade has been actually thrown. The means which I employ for this purpose may consist first of positive locking means which operate up to and during handling and throwing of the grenade, and secondly of means which while insuring the spaced relationship of the shell members during flight, will yield on impact-to permit relative movement of said members-which relative movement as hereinbefore stated determines the firing of the grenade.

The actual firing arrangements comprise essentially a firing pin or pins and a detonator which are held clear of one another up. to the moment of impact when a pin is caused to Strike the detonator and thus fire the grenade.

The means for holding the firing pin or pins away from the detonator may comprise spring, detent or other mechanical devices and such devices may be further utilized to maintain, or to assist in maintaining, the safety spacing of the inner and outer shell members during flight, or from the time the positive safety spacing device is released up to the moment of impact.

The invention is hereinafter more. particularly described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure .1 is a section illustrating a preferred embodiment of the invention.

Fig.2 is an outside view of the grenade or bomb; and

Fig. 3 is a section of a slightly modified form. I

As shown in the drawings, the improved grenade or bomb comprises an inner shell 1 and an outer shell 2 having an annular space 3 between the said shells. In the inner shell 1 is arranged the firing charge 4, and the detonator 5 which is preferably a tube of standard form arranged in a tubular housing 15. Leading into this tubular housing are two tubular members 6 in which are arranged two firing pins 7 having the usual needle pointed ends 8. At their outer ends the tubes 6 are provided with cupped recesses as shown. The firing pins 7 are formed with round heads 9 to engage closing caps or plugs 10 screwing into the outer shell 2. Frangible plates or washers 11 preferably of, dead hard steel, are held between shouldered portions of the firing pins 7 and the inner shell 1. A safety pin 12 is provided with lips 13 which are passed through holes in the firing pins '7 to form a positive safety look. A loop 14 is also provided inthe safety pin for the purpose of enabling it to be withdrawn when required.

In use, the safety pin 12 is withdrawn and the grenade is thrown. The members 1, 2, travel with their proper safe spaced relationship maintained. Cir-impact on any 7 may be fitted with ball or other ant1-fric-- part of the grenade one or other of the pins 7 owing to the momentum of'the inner shell, will crush its washer lland advance to and fire the detonator.

In the embodiment shown in Fig. 3, the safety pin 12 is omitted and the heads of the firing pins bear directly on the inner surface of the outer shell. Closing plugs 21, 22- are provided by which the detonator may be assembled at the time of use of the grenade. This is desirable in all cases.

In all cases the heads of the firing pins tion devices though this has not been found necessary in actual usage.

The sharper curvature of the heads 9 and plugs 10 shown in Fig. 1 accelerates the inward movement of the operative firing pin for a given relative displacement of the two shells 1 and 2. A

For assemblage the outer shell is preferably made in two parts screwed together, or

' united by means of a bayonet joint, or other fastening means.

If desired the frangible washers 11 may be replaced by springs fitted to bear under the heads of the firing pins 7 and on the inner shell 1. These springs would serve to maintain spacing in flight, the positive spacing up to the time of throwin then being obtained by means of a pair 0 plates with studs passed through outer shell 2 and bearing on the inner shell. The plates would be locked to lugs on the outer shell 2 by means of a safety pin and would bestraddled by the hand of the bomber so that the. two shells are positively. jambed in their safe spaced position until, thrown even after the safety pin is withdrawn. To insure that the plates will be thrown off if flight, springs may be fitted between the same and the outer shell h of the grenade or bomb.

shell containing a main explosive charge, an

outer shell surrounding said inner shell to form a space therebetween, a housing with in the inner shell and having passages, a detonator Within said housing, firing pins located within said passages, and safety devices held between the pins and the inner shell, which devices operate to hold the pins in safety position and to retain the shells'in spaced relationship and are adapted to yield spaced relationship and are adapted to yield on impact of the grenade, and a removable safety pin adapted to cooperate with the safety devices to lock them in operative position.

3. A hand grenade comprising an inner shell containing a main explosive charge, an outer shell surrounding said inner shell to form a space therebetween, a housing within the inner shell, a detonator within said housing, a plurality of tubular members leading into said housing, firing pins within said members and having heads, and resilient plates held between the heads of the firing pins and the inner shell, which heads bear on the inner surface of the outer shell, and which plates hold the pins in safety position and retain the shells in spaced relationship and are adapted to yield on "impact of the grenade.

4. A hand grenade comprising an inner shell containing a main explosive charge, an outer shell surrounding said inner shell to form a space therebetween, a housing within the inner shell, a detonator within said housing, a plurality of tubular members leading lnto said housing, firing pins within said members and having heads, resilient plates held between the heads of the firing pins and the in.-.

ner shell which heads bear on the inner surface of the outer shell, and which plates hold the pins in safety position and retain the.

shells in spaced relationship and are adapted to yield on impact of the grenade, and a. safety pin removably engaged in the outer shell and acting against the plates to form a positive safety lock.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name.

JOHN DUDLEY HAMILTON. 

